Dear All
Well what can I say about this insane idea that was born in Culi Café (40 Luong Ngoc Quyen) over a few to many lagers! It’s a reality! Marty and I were both stoked to arrive in Ho Chi Minh City last Thursday after 29 days of riding, four new tyres, five new spokes, a new crank, several major services, two crashes and 1700km’s!
A
lot of folk told us it to dangerous, impossible, insane or just an
outright stupid thing to do. We agreed, we still do! But thanks to our
inexperience and blasé attitude we went ahead anyway. As Marty pointed
out, “If we had looked at a map first, there’s no way we would have done it!”
Our arrival to HCMC, was one of warm greetings and big smiles, welcoming us as we arrived at our finish line located at Saigon Children's Charity.
Many of the students, our friends and other
Intrepid Travellers made the short jaunt out to District 4 to greet us.
It was a fabulous finish and our big thanks go out to the students and
staff of the school and to all those who participated.
While
this is by far the craziest thing I have ever been involved with, it was
definitely one of those journeys that will be talked about for years to
come. Not only by us, but by the many Vietnamese who saw two crazy big
noses riding a cyclo down Highway 1! The looks of confusion, the double
takes, the laughter and finger pointing is something I will never
forget.
Something
else forged in old memory bank is the sounds of air horns and the
insane and at times, ridiculous driving skills of local truckies and
bus drivers. Death defying buses, three wide, overtaking one and other,
while dodging buffalos, school kids, carts, bikes, cows, cyclo and on
coming traffic is something that must be seen to believe. And the air
horns…………………..well with talked about these already.
While
the driving was incredibly crazy, the local people we met along the
way were magic. Four times a day, we were mobbed by school kids as they
rode to and from their daily classes. Many stopped for a chat, others
looked on in total confusion, some laughed and a few even got to jump
aboard for a free ride to school! Many café and restaurant owners were
brought to theirs knees as we parked out front and wondered in for a
bowl of Pho or a coffee.
Many stops we’ve made at local places along
the way and everyone welcomed us with smiles and laughter. Wood
carvers, rice farmers, tree loggers, mechanics, motor bike taxi and
cyclo boys and many more were met on route.
We were even invited into
weddings for rice wine and smokes. But thanks to our strict alcohol and
tobacco policy, we had little choice but to accept their generosity and
tried the wine, along with some of the lung busting local smokes on
offer.
Food
along the way was fabulous and inexpensive. Most meals were simple
comprising of rice, meat, veggies and soup. Our star player, Mr Sau,
ensured we didn’t go hungry ordering plenty of fine and fresh tucker
for all. Most days saw Marty and myself eating up to five meals and enough
coffee and red bull energy drink to drown a fish! But while both of us
have lost a bit of weight, we’re both feeling fit and healthy. And
I haven’t had rice since arriving in HCMC!!!!
The
past few days has see us both reading books, sleeping and catching up
friends. Marty’s back to work in the next few days guiding travellers
through Vietnam (with Intrepid Travel). I'm back to Hanoi to see my lovely fiancée and prepare for our wedding at the end of the month. We’re not to sure what the next adventure will be, but chances are we’ll be at Culi Café eating the finest hamburgers in Hanoi dreaming up something crazy!.
Before signing of there many people that must be thanked:
- Jimmy Pham – Director and Founder of Koto
- Nadine Ziegeldorf - CEO Street Voices / Koto Staff
- Intrepid Travel – Our major sponsor
- Steve Jackson – Koto Volunteer
- The staff at the International Press and Communications Co-operative Centre, Hanoi
- To all our sponsors, hotels, people who helped along the way. There are to many to mention here, but you all get a mention through the website!
- The trainees of Koto, who have been glued to the computer screen watching the website. These kids have some of the saddest stories, but have the biggest smiles. Thanks to all the trainees for your support, smiles and laughter. And thanks to the all the staff of Koto for your help and assistance.
- Mr Sau – Motor Bike Taxi Driver.
- To everyone that has followed our trip and donated money to Koto. Its been a wicked trip and great to read comments left on the web. We’re gob smacked by how many people actually logged on to follow us. Thanks heaps and be sure to look us up occasionally to see what the next adventure is for Extreme Charity!
Cheers
Adam
Hi everyone. As I get older, I've learned to listen to people rather than accuse them of things.
I am from San and also now teach English, please tell me right I wrote the following sentence: "Terrible's use, alan stone, announced originally perform boys and los guapos was halfway admitted."
Regards :-D Hedy.
Posted by: Hedy | September 05, 2009 at 06:31 PM